Hot-water heater



March 6, 1945. D. ZIPETO HoT WATER HEATER Filed Feb. `3, 1944 i'Patented 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT GFFICE Hor-WATER. HEATER Cosmo D.Zipeto, Philadelphia, Pa.

ApplicationFebruary 3, 1944, Serial No. 520,927

(ol. 122-356) v 2 Claims.

yThis invention relates Ato water heaters, and a principal object of theinvention is toprovide a heater of simple and inexpensive constructionhaving exceptionallyhigh operating ei'liciency.

In the attached drawing;

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view -of a heater made in accordance withthel invention;

Fig. 2 is a section on the line' 2-l-2, Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is a detached view in perspective illustrating certain' of theelements of the heater structure, and

Fig. 4 is a view in perspective of a fragmentary part of the heatingcoil.

With reference to the drawing, the heater in a preferred embodimentcomprises a hollow base preferably of copper or other metal of high heatconductivity. The duct 8 extends upwardly from the tank 4 in serpentineformation, said4 pipe y having in effect a plurality of substantiallyhorizontal sections 9 superimposed in spaced relation one above anotherand connected in series with each other by way of curved sections II.The upper end of the duct 8 is connected tothe underside of a tank I2from`which a pipe I3 extends to a hotwater reservoir, or to a heatingsystem as the case may be.

The base section I is preferably in the form of a casting having abottom iiange I4, vertical side walls I5, and an upper outwardlyextending flange I6 which terminates in an up-turned edge I1.. The upperiiange I6 with its up-turned edge forms a shallow receptacle for thebase flange The several superimposed sections I9form, in

conjunction with the base section I, a hollow shell or stack whichembraces'the serpentine duct 8, the stackbeing closed at the top by acap section which seats upon the upper section I9. The latter sectionsupports the tank `I2 and has in a wall thereof an opening 26 forpassage of the pipe 'I3.y With reference to Figure 2 it will be notedthat the base section I has an opening 21 in one wall thereof throughwhich draft air is admitted to the lower end of the stack. and to theburners 2 for combustion purposes; and the cap section 25 is providedwith a port 28 from which a iiue duct 29 extends to carry off the spentgases and vproducts of combustion.

'Between each ofthe sectionslls is a baille 3|, l

the form of which is best shown in Figure 3. The edge portions of eachof these bafes seat in the shallow receptacle formed by the upper flange2l of the associated section I9 and underlies the base iiange I8 of thesuperimposed sec- I8 of a superimposed section`I9. This section,

also in the form of a casting, is substantially the same as the basesectionV I but is of somewhat- I lesser'vertical. height in the presentinstance. The upper flange 2| of 'thel section I9 with its provided withopenings 23 and 24 for passage o the pipes 5 and 6 respectively.

, 11p-turned edge 22 forms in turn a hollow recep-v.

tion. The bailie thus functions in part as a sealing gasket for thejoints between the said sections. As shown in Figures 1 and 3 each ofthe bafiles has at one end a recess 32 through which the duct 8 extends,these recesses also providing for passage upwardly-through the stack ofthe hot gases from the burners 2. Each of the bailies 3l is providedwith "an end section 33 which closes the outer end of the recess 32 andcompletes the gasket function of the baille. It

will be apparent that with the aforedescribed arrangement the hot gasesfrom' the burners 2 ..will be caused to pass upwardly through the stackin a tortuous path following the windings of the duct 8 and will therebyremain in intimate contact with the fiat extended surfaces of the yductfrom the bottom to the top of the stack.

In assembling the heater structure described above, the base section Iand the', superimposed section I9 may be set up with the-burners and thetank 4 inposition, it being noted by reference to Figures 1 and 2 thatthe -burners are supported upon cross bars 34, and the tank upon crossbars 35 secured in and extending across the base section. The lower endof the duct 8 may be attached to the tank 4 either before or after thelatter has been mounted in the two lower sec- 'tions of the stack as setforth and the duct. to-

gether with the upp`er-tank I2, may be supported in the verticalposition which it assumes-within the assembly by suitable supportingmeans. Thereafter the lowermost baffle 3l may be placed the followingsection I9 then seated upon the baille and within the up-turned edge 22of flange ZI of the said first section. The sections may be securedtogether by bolts 36 or may be cemented -together, as desired. The nexthigher baille 3| A heater constructed as described above exhibits anextraordinarily high efficiency, practically all of the sensible heat oflthe burning gases being utilized for heating the water which circulatesthrough the system. Relatively cold water entering the tank 4 throughthe pipe 5 is subjected through-the shell of the said tank to the eectsof the direct ilame of the rburners 2, the heated water then passingupwardly through the duct 8 to the tank l2 from which it is distributedthrough the pipe I3. From the time that the water enters the tank 4 tothe time it leaves the tank I2 it is subjected to the effects of theheated gases passing upwardly through the stack from the burners 2, theheated gases by reason of the baiiies 3| following a tortuous coursethrough the stack corresponding to the windings of the, duct 8. It willbe noted by reference to Figure 2 thatthe duct 8 is of substantial Widthand small depth, and the gases in passing upwardly act upon both facesof the duct and are thereby brought into effective heat exchangerelation with substantially all of the water passing through the duct.Aside from the high operatin position at the top of the rst section I9and ing efficiency, the heater is characterized by relative simplicityof form, it being noted that the sections I9 and the baillesv 3I33 maybe standardized for different sizes of heaters, and requiring for anygiven size but one form of casting and baille aside from the basesection I and the cap section 25.

While the invention has been described above in its application to waterheaters, it will be understood that the apparatus may, as well, be usedfor generating steam. The term water heater as used above and in theappended claims is embracive of both of these uses.

I claim:

l. In a water heater, a stack, a sinuate duct extending through thestack, said stack consisting of a plurality of hollow superimposedsections each having at the top a shallow peripheral receptacle for thebase of the immediately superimposed section, baiiles having their edgeportions seated in the said receptacles of the respective sections andforming gaskets between said sections, said bafiles extending betweenadjoining passes of the duct windings and forming a tortuous passagewithin the stack conforming to said windings, and means for passinghe'ated gases and water through the .said stack passage and the ductrespectively.

2. In a water heater, a stack, a sinuate duct extending through thestack, said stack consisting of a plurality of hollow superimposedsections, bailies'having their., edge portions conned and forminggaskets between said sections, said bailles extending between adjoiningpasses of the duct windings and forming a tortuous passage within thestack conforming to said windings, and means for passing heated gasesand Water through the said stack passage and the duct respectively. A

, COSMO D. ZIPETO.

